Cross-tie for railways.



TENTEDOGT. 27, 1903.. n; s. APFLEGK. moss TIE FOR RAILWAYS, APPLICATIONFILED FEB. 28, 1903 N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR W1 T/VESSES;

ohms PETERS no, PNUTD-UTHQ. waskmcwu o r UNIT-En STATES,

Patented October 27, 1903.

:ATIENT- OFFICE.

CROSS-TIE FOR RAILWAYS.

sPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,144, dated October27, 1903. Application filed February 28,1903. Serial No. 145,541.(Ndmbdel-J To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID S. AFFLEOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohesterton, in the county of Porter and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cross-Ties forRailways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to cross-tie construction; and it consists ofcertain novel features of combination 'andconstruction of elements, aswill be hereinafter clearly set forth in the specification and pointedout in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide a cross-tie of some suitableplasticmaterial which after being set or hardened, either by means ofthe natural cohesion of parts or by burning, as when clay is used, willform a cross-tie of great rigidity and strength, my prime object beingto provide means for re inforcing the plastic material employed informing the body of the tie, as by means of a metallic framework, whichwill be entirely covered by the plastic material, and thus be protectedagainst corrosion and consequent destruction.

Further objects and ad vantages will be hereinafter clearly pointed out,reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which are made a partof this application, and in which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view ofmy improved cross tie complete. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of thetie on a line with a pair of the vertically-disposed rail-securing boltsor members. Fig. 3 is a similar View to that presented in Fig. 2,showingaslightlymodified construction of certain parts. Fig. 4 is asimilar View to that presented in Fig. 2, excepting that therail-securing bolts are held against spreading by means of a simple baror plate; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the nut-retainingplates.

I desire to state in this connection that while my invention is designedfor the production of a cross-tie for railways which will be found to bevery reliable and efficient the same reinforcing means hereinillustrated will 'be'fonnd desirable and useful in forming fence-postsfrom plastic material, it being obvious that the metallic reinforcementhere- 'inafter described will impart great strength way-tie formed ofclay, afterward properlyburned or of cement or slag or other suitablematerial having a-reinforcing metallic framesection, which 'in thisinstance consists in locating, preferably in thecentral part of thetie-body, two parallel rods or bars 2 "and 3. Thelongitudinally-disposed bars2 and 3 may be left entirely straight,though I prefer to provide in each of them a plurality of short bonds orcurves, whereby the bars will be corrugated throughout their entirelength, and thus present a greater-amount of surface to the material ofthe-tie and also more securely anchor themin place.

In order that the reinforcing-bars 2 and 3 may be located at a properpoint in the body of the ties El and also that said ties may be providedwith means to lock the trackrails in engagement therewith, I locate neareach end of the tieat a proper point on the track-rails two pairs ofrail locking verticallydisposed bolts 4, the upper ends of which arepreferably threaded to receive the rail-locking nuts 5, which aredesigned to be turned securely home upon the rail-engaging plates 6,whereby both the inner and outer edges of the base of the rail will beengaged. The bolts 4 are of sufficient length to extend entirely throughthe tie and are also threaded at their lower ends and carry the nuts 7,which may be located at any desired point, said nuts being adapted tosupport the plate, which is preferably angular in cross-section, asindicated by the numeral 8, suitable apertures being provided in saidplate to receive the bolts 4, as shown in Fig.

The object in providing the angular plate 8 is to insure that the nuts 7will-be held against rotation after the same have been adjusted in theirdesired position.

The plate 8 is intended to support the rods 2 and 3, and since the lowerends of the bolts 4 are adapted to rest upon the bottom of the ICG boxor mold in which the plastic material forming the body of the tie isdisposed it is obvious that such material when forced to the bottom ofthe mold or box will entirely surround the bolts 4, the plate 8, and therods or bars 2 and 3, thus enabling said rods or bars to be supported atthe desired height during the formative period of the tie-body.

In some instances I prefer to slightly extend the ends of the plate 8and curve the same upward, as indicated by the numeral 10 in Fig. 3,thus providing means for holding the rods or bars 2 and 3 from casuallyslipping out of place while the tie is yet in plastic form.

In some instances a simple plate 11 may be employed to provide a supportfor the rods or bars 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 4:. It will thus be seenthat reliably efficient means are provided not only for reinforcing andstrengthening the body of the tie, but also for locking the track-railto the tie at the desired point thereon, such locking means being ofvery reliable and efficient character, inasmuch as the nuts 5 may bevery securely locked against the plates 6, as the lockingbolts are veryreliably held in position by means of the transversely-disposed plateembedded in the tie. The said plate 8 not only subserves the purpose ofholding the bars or rods 2 and 3 while the body of the tie is yet in aplastic condition, but also reliably anchors the locking-bolts a inplace, whereby they perform their office of holding the trackrail in anadjusted position on the tie.

While I have described the preferred construction and combination ofparts deemed necessary in carrying out my invention, I Wish tocomprehend such substantial equivalents and substitutes as may beconsidered as falling fairly within the scope and purview of myinvention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described cross-tie comprising a body portion formed ofplastic material and hardened and suitable reinforcing means for saidbody comprising the longitudinally-disposed bars 2 and 3; rail-engagingbolts 4 arranged in pairs at each end; an choring-plates for said boltsdesigned to afford a seat for said bars While the body of the tie isbeing formed, said bolts being adapted to extend entirely'to the bottomof the tie whereby the bars 2 and 3 will be held at the desired point,all combined substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID S. AFFLEOK.

Witnesses:

J. A. JOHNSON, F. E. J OI-INSON.

